UndergraduateUnited States · Engineering

SB Mechanical Engineering

Harvard University

✓ Last verified Oct 4, 2026

Entry requirements

Tests: SAT or ACTRequired
Required subjects: English, four years with extensive practice in writingPreferred
Mathematics, four yearsPreferred
Science, four years: biology, chemistry, physics and an advanced course in one of thesePreferred
History, three years including American and European historyPreferred
One foreign language, four yearsPreferred
Calculus, recommended for students pursuing engineering, computer science, physics, mathematics or statistics but not required for admissionPreferred
Other: EssayRequired

Accepted English tests: Not required: first-year applicants are not required to take an English proficiency exam but may submit TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo scores if they wish (https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/apply/international-applicants). These tests cannot be used to meet the SAT/ACT requirement.
Other requirements: Admission is university-wide to Harvard College, not to a concentration (major): all applicants, including those intending to study engineering and applied sciences, apply directly to Harvard College and declare a concentration later (Advising: 'Students must declare a concentration in their third term at Harvard'). Requirements: Common Application plus Harvard College Questions (five required short-answer questions, 150 words each); $95 fee or fee waiver; Secondary School Report with transcript and counselor letter; two teacher recommendations from different academic subjects; Midyear and Final School Reports. SAT or ACT required (self-reported scores accepted, official scores required on enrolment); REA applicants should submit scores by the end of October. In exceptional cases (e.g. financial hardship or limited test access) AP results, IB actual or predicted scores, GCSE/A-level results or predictions, or national leaving exam results may be submitted instead. TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo cannot meet the testing requirement. No minimum grades and no subject requirements: 'There is no single academic path we expect all students to follow, but the strongest applicants take the most rigorous secondary school curricula available to them.' No China-specific or gaokao policy published. Alumni interviews are offered where possible but not to all applicants; the absence of an interview does not adversely affect candidacy. Optional supplementary materials (music, art, other media) may be submitted. Admission is need-blind for international applicants and Harvard meets full demonstrated need; no quotas. Concentration: S.B. in Mechanical Engineering (an A.B. in Engineering Sciences, Mechanical and Materials Science and Engineering track, is also offered). Familiarity with programming languages such as MATLAB and Python is beneficial and introductory computer science courses like CS 50 are recommended.